Johnson isn’t happy that he was ranked at No. 100 in the NFL Network list of the Top 100 players in the NFL, as voted on by their fellow players, and he believes people have to look at his entire body of work — including his 2,006-yard season in 2009 — in assessing his talents.

“There’s a lot of backs now who probably didn’t do anything the year before and then they rush for 1,500 yards and they are the top back,” Johnson said. “It’s crazy, really.”

Johnson said he thinks he can top 2,000 yards again. The Titans just have to hope he doesn’t struggle to top 1,000 yards again.

Confidence is good. Arrogance and ignorance not so much. Best backs in the league dont disappear for an entire season.

larryboodry says:Jun 4, 2012 7:07 AM

Best mouth in the league, maybe…Not the best back.

outtherebad says:Jun 4, 2012 7:08 AM

how do you contest your ranking last year by saying they have to look at your total body of work, when the ranking is only BASED ON THE CURRENT YEAR!!! thats the only body of work that counts. plus, Arian Foster is much better

cakemixa says:Jun 4, 2012 7:09 AM

The dude has obviously been humbled.

EJ says:Jun 4, 2012 7:11 AM

I can think of at least 3 rb’s that are better all around backs. Backs that are the backbone of their teams, that make up a huge percentage of the touches of the football. Guys that if gone would be missed ever so much… Adrian Peterson, Fred Jackson and Matt Forte.

bangitfootball says:Jun 4, 2012 7:19 AM

Best example of an overpaid back mailing it in after a huge contract he didnt deserve. Yes.

Best example of why gold should only be used in necklaces not teeth. Yes.

AP, MJD, Lesean McCoy, Foster, Rice, and probably a few others. I would take all of them over you. And not solely because of talent. I would never want Chris Johnson on my team though.

jimbo75025 says:Jun 4, 2012 7:26 AM

charlutes says:Jun 4, 2012 6:50 AM

you were never the best back in the league. A.P.
————-

Yup. I would take AP over him even not knowing how much his injury/surgery is going to impact the early part of this season. AP simply has the heart to be an elite back-despite a few good seasons, CJ2K has yet to show much of it.

After his performance and half-hearted effort last year, this declaration carries about as much weight as an 8-8 team calling themselves the best team in the league.

Talk is cheap, CJ. Put up or shut up.

49erstim says:Jun 4, 2012 7:48 AM

You’re not entitled to that position. You’ve gotta earn that spot EVERY year. You didn’t have “1 bad year” you had an atrocious year! Dude looked slow and out of shape (conditioning-wise). Let it motivate you to do better, but you’re not being slighted Mr Johnson. Good luck this year.

It is expected that when a guy gets the big bucks the following year he starts counting the money and forgets all about football. The real greedy ones even want to tear up their current contract every year.

Johnson certainly was the best running back in the league….in 2009. The problem is that was three years ago, which is an eternity in football years. He does still have the skills to be the best RB in the league again, but when the likes of Ray Rice, Arian Foster, and Matt Forte are consistently producing on the field, it’s kinda hard to swallow such a big statement.

vikesfansteve says:Jun 4, 2012 8:44 AM

Johnson is awesome. He is currently above AP in quick explosiveness and he can hold onto the ball which every Vikings fan knows was one of the many problems that plagued the team in 09. AP’s results post knee surgery will decide the question between him and Johnson but what about Foster, Rice, Jones-Drew, etc. Best back is so subjective. AP is not the same player anymore as he was the first few games of his rookie season before Al Harris tried to end his career for a bunch of cd’s & dvd’s from best buy so who knows what he is now but if CJ can avoid injuries he could easily get 2000 yards again. Especially when the Texans and Colts give up a couple of 80 yd runs to the guy each year like it’s Techmo bowl.

tennesseeoilers says:Jun 4, 2012 8:47 AM

We Titans fans need to be honest with ourselves. Chris “First to Worst” Johnson doesn’t deserve to even be in that Top 100 players list … AT ALL. Frankly, I would take 3/4 of the starting backs in the league over him in a heartbeat.

Sorry Chris that you feel you were slighted in the top 100 of 2012. But you’re only as good as your last performance and 2012 was a bad year for you. If you want people to believe that you deserve higher or that you’re the best RB in the league you need to show it this year on the field and not in your mind.

packersbound says:Jun 4, 2012 8:58 AM

Best Over-rated Back in the league, maybe best running back in Pop Warner League. Adrian Peterson is still the best with Foster because both are very quiet humble and work hard.

As for the NFL’s top 100 players of 2011, my biggest question is: Who cares? This is nothing more than an NFL network production to fill up offseason time with some other than endless replays of “NFL Access” and “Football Follies”.

The NFL’s network has access to all NFL films archives, and we’re watching this garbage instead of classic playoff matchups from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s? Why? I’d love to watch some replays of the old Cowboys-Redskins rivalry games, Staubach vs. Kilmer, or Raiders and Steelers with Stabler vs. Bradshaw. What about all those old ice and snow games in Green Bay and Minnesota, and the playoff matchups between the Cowboys, Vikings and Rams? What about the 1958 NFL Championship game, the 1960 Championship game, or the Packers from the Lombardi era?

NFL network has access to all these classics, and instead, they fill up their time with this stuff. Why?

With Kenny Britt out, teams keyed in on stopping CJ last year because he was the next biggest offensive threat. He regularly saw 7-8 men in the box and suffered from possibly the worst interior line in the league (go to youtube and search “Eugene Amano sucks” and watch the one play against the Colts).

With a healthy Britt, Nate Washington, Kendall Wright & an emerging Jared Cook teams won’t be able to key in on CJ as they have been doing. We’ll see him return to his old self this year (not saying 2000 yards, but many more 100 yard games).

League Leader in first downs
Twenty touchdowns (17 rushing)
1309 yards rushing (In fifteen games)
315 yards receiving
1624 total yards
And still, LeSean McCoy was only mentioned by four or five of you? He isn’t the best, but he deserves to be ranked among them.

Please remember AP seen those 8/9 man fronts every year an still out preformed you CJ …unlike a lot of these other running back he haven’t had the passing threat other then 2009 …I always respected the players that let there play speak for them …after all running is your job you should be

granadafan says:Jun 4, 2012 12:49 PM

Hey Chris, Al Bundy was great. He once scored 5 Touchdowns in one game.

Chris isnt even in the top 5. Any back that thinks they’re better than AP is obviously been living under a rock the past 5 years. CJ should should spend less time running his mouth and more running one the feild.

Get over yourself CJ, obviously you cant handle the pressure of carrying your team when they need you when players like kenny britt go down. How can you even compare yourself to the best running backs such as AP, Arion fostor, and oh yea not to mention MJD who led the league in rushing even though he had the worst passing attack last season and still managed to claim the rushing title when people knew that he was getting the ball. You are a joke, your just another professional athlete that took the money and showed little for it, nobody cares what you did in the past, this is A WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELEY LEAGUE. Keep running that mouth so that you can give my Jags defense Motivation to hit you in it.